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Pi for Pi Day

Today is Pi Day, 3/14 (at least in the US).

Big and little pi, a crochet pattern from ReveDreams. Get it at revedreams.com/shop/.

You saw a Pi and pi I made for my sister back in late 2012, with the pattern for little Big Pi. That version of big little pi required sewing to shape the curved foot. (The little Big Pi shown also had one leg longer than the other, due to a counting error.)

This version is sewing-free! The pointed foot and “horn” of the top bar curve through a combination of increasing/decreasing and a method I developed to collapse pairs of rounds into single rounds on the inside of the curve. The stitching takes some paying attention, but it isn’t difficult and all stitches are common (very common, in fact: slip stitch and single crochet).

But enough about that. I was fortunate enough to capture some pictures of Pi and pi in their usual haunts…

Big and little pi watch the pendulums for relaxation. Get the pattern at revedreams.com/shop/.

They love the soothing motion.

Big and little pi play their favorite game. Get the pattern at revedreams.com/shop/.

I think they’re gambling?

Big and little pi float peacefully in their favorite spot. Get the pattern at revedreams.com/shop/.

Where they go to relax!

Their individual beauty shots are on the pattern page.

Snouty Hippo

It’s National Hippo Day! [1] To celebrate, I have a new hippo pattern in the store:

Snouty Hippo Pattern

I never thought that snouty hippos would be such nosy hippos! Look at this:

Snouty Hippos want to know if they can have some. Get the pattern at revedreams.com/shop/.

What are you eating? Can we have some?

Snouty Hippos are exceedingly helpful. Get the pattern at revedreams.com/shop/.

Ooh ooh! We’re good at crosswords! Does that say “Hi-po”?

Snouty Hippos meet their match in dachshunds. Get patterns for both at revedreams.com/shop/.

Who are you? [Dachshunds, nosy in a different way.]

Snouty Hippos are worse than housecats with the laptop. Get the pattern at revedreams.com/shop/.

Hey, is that us on the computer? Click there!

Snouty Hippos try for cake. Get the pattern at revedreams.com/shop/.

Can you reach? I’m trying, I’m trying!

Information about stitching and materials is in the shop.

[1] I learned long after planning this all out that this National Hippo Day originates with the game Second Life. National Hippo Appreciation Day, which has a Facebook page, is July 24. Perhaps we’ll speak about hippos again then.

Wide old owl

A new pattern!

Wide Old Owl Pattern

I like owls and got a good response to my peacock coasters, so an owl coaster was a natural choice for design. I wanted to make one that was completely flat – no eyes sewn on top of a base, as was the case with every owl coaster pattern I found. In fact, I really wanted to make eyes and a beak separately and then stitch the body around all three of them, but that was not to be. I was unable to make a small diamond shape in crochet; the points all soften too much.

However, I did get the eyes to work out as planned. You make two eyes, in one of two versions (or, I suppose, one of each if you like), and then join a new yarn to stitch the body around them. The beak is done via color change and a long stitch, inspired by overlay crochet. It does sit on top of the rest, but my investigation shows it’s not enough of a bump to make issues with your glass, can, or bottle.

There are eyes with an open center and eyes with a solid center worked in two colors. I personally prefer the open center, but they only look good on a contrasting background. The only uncommon stitches used are triple treble crochet (4 yarn-overs) and linked triple crochet (instead of two yarn overs, two loops are pulled up through the side of the previous stitch); they are taught in the pattern, and the pattern page also links to a video of linked triple crochet.

Incidentally, you can make these with a solid eye of 12 dc in a ring. That was my original eye, but the result is a little creepy so I changed it!